Rick McCosker to lead review into Australian team culture | Cricket Bats | Australia

Former batsman Rick McCosker will lead a review of issues relating to culture and governance of the men’s national team, and set out a charter for improved on-field behaviour, in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal during the Cape Town Test that has rocked Australian cricket.

McCosker will be joined on the panel by two former players and two current players, whose identities are unknown at present. Peter Collins, director of the Centre for Ethical Leadership, will act as a “facilitator” for the process.

“Australian cricketers are role models for our young people and ambassadors for our country,” CA chairman David Peever said on Friday, while announcing the review. “Cricket fans and the Australian public rightly have high expectations regarding the standards of behaviour of our national teams.

“The independent review will provide an important foundation for ensuring these expectations are met. In addition, Cricket Australia will initiate a separate player (and former player) driven process to consider a “charter” that sets out standards of behaviour and expectations of Australian men’s teams. It is anticipated that this process will include assessments as to whether changes to codes and standards governing player conduct are required. The outcomes from this process will form reference points for the independent review.”

These measures are a result of the ball-tampering scandal that erupted on the third day of the Newlands Test against South Africa, when Cameron Bancroft was caught on camera rubbing the rough side of the ball with sandpaper. Steven Smith and Bancroft owned up to the offence at a press conference at the end of the third day’s play, and it later emerged that David Warner was also a key player in the plan to tamper with the ball.

After conducting an internal investigation into the incident, CA banned Smith and Warner from international and domestic cricket for 12 months, and Bancroft for nine. The board also banned Smith and Bancroft from holding leadership positions in Australian cricket for 12 months after the end of their bans, and Warner was banned from leadership for life.